Probably the only cricketer in the world to have been shot at point-blank range during a mugging and lived to tell the tale, Andrew Hall has seized the opportunity to play international cricket with both hands. Which is all the more remarkable considering that Hall took a bullet in his left hand as a mugger let fly six shots at him at an ATM machine late one night in 1998. Miraculously, the bullet lodged in his hand without causing serious damage and Hall recovered sufficiently to win a place in South Africa's one-day side against the West Indies in 1999. He played only one match and appeared to have slipped out of the selectors' minds until Australia arrived in April 2003 for three ODIs. With Herschelle Gibbs struggling for form, Hall was given a match as Gary Kirsten's opening partner. Against the world's fastest bowler, Brett Lee, Hall looked the part, scoring a composed 46 and it was enough to win him a place in the South African squad for Sri Lanka. When Gibbs was then out of the picture because of his involvement in the match-fixing scandal, Hall resumed his partnership with Kirsten and against a Sri Lankan attack which included Muttiah Muralitharan on a turning wicket, he made a most impressive 81.

An allrounder who played indoor cricket for South Africa before breaking into the first-class game, Hall was initially seen as a bowler who batted down the order. During the 2003 England tour, Hall cemented himself as a valuable member of the side. A late call-up to the squad, Hall took 16 wickets in the series, and ensured South Africa won at Headingley with a buccaneering 99 not out. As a tidy medium-pacer, he has opened the bowling for Gauteng on a semi-regular basis, but it has been his batting, combined with a wonderfully competitive approach to the game, that has given him international recognition.

Hall was banned for two Tests in 2003 after he was found guilty of breaching two of the ICC's conduct codes during an ODI in Pakistan. He lost out on a place for South Africa's tour to Sri Lanka in 2004, but fought his way back into the side for a series against India. Given the task of opening the innings in a Test in Kanpur in November 2004, Hall made the most of the opportunity with 163, his maiden hundred. The following month, he was signed by Kent as an overseas player for the 2005 season. A stint at Worcestershire had not proven too successful, but Hall would go on to become a hit at Kent. He remained a key figure in the ODI side for the year, and began 2006 with a brilliant display of one-day death bowling as South Africa snatched a thrilling nine-run victory from the jaws of defeat against Sri Lanka in the VB Series at Adelaide. He made it to the Test side for a series against New Zealand at home and was a part of South Africa's nerve-wracking, unforgettable world record win over Australia at Johannesburg in March 2006. He toured Sri Lanka for a two-Test series later that summer and was included in South Africa's 14-man squad for October's Champions Trophy in India.